Robert W. Hoffman, Jr. has been a Human Resource Development consultant for over 35 years. During this period he has worked throughout the U.S., the Caribbean, and Africa with both private and public sector organizations. He has conducted seminars in Team Learning, Leadership Skills, Diversity, Strategic Planning, Board and Staff Development, Appreciative Inquiry and Collaboration. He has also held many leadership positions, including executive director of nonprofit organizations, director of training, DC Office of Neighborhood Self Help Development; manager with the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department; and City Council member for four years.

Robert has previously served on the Fannie Mae Foundation’s (FMF) Advisory Committee on Organizational Effectiveness; provided meeting facilitation, executive coaching, and business plan development consulting services to the DC Initiatives team of FMF; as well as conducting several strategic and business planning and organizational development consulting projects for FMF grantees.

Robert’s clients have included U.S. West, Levi Straus, Sun Microsystems, Mentor Graphics, AT&T, National Black United Fund, National Congress for Community Economic Development, Center for Community Change, National Funding Collaborative for Violence prevention, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. For the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bob provided training on leadership development and civic engagement for neighborhood residents.

Robert graduated from Kean University and began his career as a fifth/sixth grade teacher. He has an M.A. in Personnel and Guidance from Montclair State University, and has additional course work in Gestalt Psychology, Large Scale Systems Change and Appreciative Inquiry. Robert has taught at numerous colleges and universities and is presently a Senior Fellow at the James McGregor Burns School of Leadership, University of Maryland.

Robert’s professional affiliations have included the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research; and the International Registry of Organizational Development Professionals.

Bob is also founder and CEO of Spirit Sanctuary, a mountain retreat, conference center, a place of meditation and spiritual healing, and a celebration of African-American arts, culture, in Elton, W. VA. The primary thrust of the conference center’s program is to develop urban and rural youth for leadership in their communities. For more information on Spirit Sanctuary, see: http://www.spiritsanctuary.com/.